of raising taxes. we do so in the service of creating a fairer tax code, funding investments for the future and in the service of a balanced approach to deficit reduction. if you take out the deficit reduction concerns and lord knows that any sort of inve investment spending right now is not going to pass muster with the house republicans, you're left with the fairness motive. a more just system would certainly be nice, does it offset the injustice of cutting benefits to folks who rely on social security? to scuttle a brand bargain deal, though, democrats need some sort of political cover. hmm. if only some republican would put out a really toxic, extreme, ideological plan that democrats could point to as continuing republican intransigence, they could walk away with not political consequence. you know, i think i know just the guy. all right. that does it for us here at "the cycle." martin bashir, all yours. >>> good afternoon, it's thursday march the 14th. who needs compromise on capitol hill when cpa